Electrically operated hair brush



May 24, 1966 PEDERsl-:N

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED HAIR BRUSH Filed Oct. 28, 1964 United States Patent O 3,252,175 ELECTRICALLY PERATED HAIR BRUSH Ingrid Pedersen, 2 Enghavevej, Copenhagen, Denmark Filed Oct. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 407,186 Claims priority, application Denmark, Nov. 4, 1963, 5,160/63 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-22) 'I'he invention relates to a device by which eficient brush-ing with an electrically operated hair brush is obtained. y

It is well-known to make such hair brushes with a bristled band of plastic or a similar flexible material travelling as an endless band around a set of rollers, the band and the driving motor being contained in a housing which is open in one side in order to allow one half of the band or part `thereof to protrude from thehousing to serve for the brushing of hair. It is likewise wellknown to form the same side of the housing and the bristled bandwith a concave, arched shape to match the curved contour of the scalp. It is also well-known 4to establish the travel of the band along this concave side surface of the housing by means of beads on the band and guide strips along the edge of the housing, the said beads and guide strips at the same ltime alfording some sealing against the penetration of loosening hairs andv dust, which along this Way would be able to enter the housing of the brush over the side edge of the bristled band. Further, it is well-known to provide a number of nibs on the inside of the rear wall of the brush housing, designed as a lid, in order to relieve the band in the housing of the electric charges that have developed on the bristles during the brushing, so that the dust, 'irnpurities and loosening hairs which have been carried along by the band can drop from the brush in the housing, which can be dissembled and cleaned.

The existing hair brushes, however, are encumbered with the drawback that in their use it cannot be avoided that the hair is electrified, which causes the same to be drawn in towards the lower part of the brush. Likewise, the existing, well-known sealing of the edge of the bristled band along the concave side surface cannot prevent some amount of hair from penetrating lengthwise into the closure joint along this edge of the bristled band, thereby obstructing the joint. A

"It is the purpose of the invention to preclude these drawbacks. This is obtained in that theV bristled band, is provided in interspaced relation between the bristles, with groups of short threads, which are electrically conductive, and which extend entirely through to the inside surface of the bristled band, and moreover, inside the housing and pointing towards the back surface of the bristled band is a set of solid, insulated bristles, being xed in the housing of the brush, and pressing against the back surface of the band and possibly against the rollers on which the band is travelling, the said rollers being made of an electrically insulating material.

Moreover, the device is fitted with one or several sets of electrically conductive plates or bristles, which are electrically connected with the hair brush housing adjacent the inside surface of the bristled band and preferably extending in the transverse .direction lof same, and which establish electrically conductive contact with the inner part of the passing, conductive hairs and threads.

Thereby these conductive hairs or short threads serve to convey to the outer surface of the bristled band the electric charges developed by `the rubbing action between the yback surface of the bristled band and the said insulated sets of bristles which may be in the form of rollers, to contribute towards a drawing of the hair, which is being brushed, closer inwards against the brush. As an alternaice tive, it can be obtained that the hair will be released more easily from the brush in the places where the inner-most part yof the conductive hairs or threads contacts the conduct-ive bristles connected with the conductive brush housing and arranged at the inner surface of the bristled band.

The closuresof the hair brush can be improved considerably by placing on the edge of the housing and extending towards the bristled band, rows of short bristles extending in a direction parallel to, respectively inclined and/or at right angles to the directions in which the bristles of the rotary bristled band extend. Thereby, as a matter of fact, any hairs that may be pushed outwards along the edge of the bristled band during the brushing will be intercepted by these short bristles and caused to ,adhere to them by the resulting rubbing action against these are sufiiciently wide, this will reduce the friction' between the bead and the guide strip along the edge of the housing, whereby the essential advantage is obtained that the flexibilityof the 'bristled band enabling it to' curve along 'on the rollers, and particularly into theV concave curvature, will be increased considerably. The cuts downwards between the sections may have an inclined position. l l

It should be remarked that the aforementioned sets of bristles may be designed as rotary rollers, whereby the effects aimed at can be improved.

A form of construction for an electrically operated hair brush according -to the invention is shown in the drawing, where FIGS. l, 2 and 3 show the hair brush in a perspective View, a longitudinal View and a cross-sectional View respectively, and

FIG. 4 shows in perspective the endless bristled band for the hair brush and fitted with electrically conductive bristles, the ordinary bristles of the brush having been left out for cla'rity.

The bristled lband 1 is fitted with ordinary bristles 2 for the brushing of hair. Interspaced between these bristles are hairs or short threads 3, which are electrically conductive and shown in dotted line in FIG. 3, but in solid line in FIG. 4. These hairs 3 are interspaced in groups among the bristles 2. The rotating bristled band is driven through rollers 4 and 5, by means of an electric motor 6, and the path of the band is controlled in wellknown manner by means of thel edge of the housing,

which is fitted with guide strips 7 cooperating with a bead 8 on the bristled band. Two sets of extra bristles 9 and 10 are fitted and shown in contact with the bristled band along the -inner surface of the same.

By constructing the upper roller 4, where the bristled band 1 protrudes from the hair brush housing 11, of anelectrically connected with the hair brush housing 11,

which likewise is made from an electrically conductive material which may be itted with fingertip con-trols 11a. The roller 5, through this electric contact with the passing electrically conductive hairs orfshort threads on the bristled band. will discharge the same. Therefore, the

hair which is being brushed will be released from the bristles on the bristled band and from the roller, and in this manner the hair :situated at the lower roller 5 will fall freely down at its lower end. In this manner, the hair Will be easier to brush. The sets of bristles 9 and 10 serve to promote this effect. Thus, if the upper set of bristles 1) is made for instance from an electrically insulating material, the electric charging developing through rubbing with the inner surface of -the bristled band will be intensied, whereas an electrically conductive material for the set of bristles 9 and an electric connection of this with the housing of the brush will afford quicker discharge of the bristles of the bristled band and Athereby of the hair that is being brushed. FIG. 3 shows rows of short bristles 12 and 13, which are placed on the edge of the guide strips 7 of the brush housing. These two rows of bristles grip loosening hairs, which otherwise, since they proceed along the bristled band, would be introduced into the cavity between the guide strip edge 7 and the bead 8 and possibly become :stuck there.

FIG. 4 shows a form of construction for the bristled band. This is shown as fitted with conductive hairs or short threads 3, which are arranged in wedge-shaped patterns, the tips of which are point-ing in a direction opposite to the sense o f rotation for the band, whi-ch is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2. Thereby it is obtained that the outer edges, when the bristled band moves downwards during the brushing, are charged electrically rst, but are also discharged rst during the passage of a wedge shaped gure past the lower roller or the inside se-t of bristles touching the inner surface of the bristled bandas described above. Thereby the hair, to begin with at the top, will be able to spread over the brush, but will be collected towards the middle below, when the discharge occurs. This, however, may also be obtained by placing sets of bristles corresponding to 9 and 10 behind the band in wedge-,shaped arrangement.

Inside in the lid-shaped rear surface of the brush housing are arranged, in a manner well-known as far as it goes, pikes 14, which, however, will have lost part of their importance as electrically diverting members for the bristled band. Nevertheless, they will still be able to repel possible particles attached through cohesion to the bristles of the brush.

In FIGS. 2 and 4 the bristled band is shown with the bead 8 subdivided into sections by means of wedge-shaped, transverse cuts 15.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters PatentY 1. An electrically operated hair brush comprising a housing, an endless rotary band, a pair of rollers supported in said housing for driving the band along a path of travel in a part of which the band is exposed, a rst set of bristles secured to said band and extending outwardly therefrom, 1a second set of bristles interspersed in the rst set of bristles and secured to said band to extend therethrough to the inner surface thereof, said second set of bristles being constituted of electrically conductive material, insulation means supported in said housing and in surface contact with said inner surface of the band and electrically conductive means in said housing in spaced relation with respect to the insulation means and als-o in surface Contact with said inner surface of the band, at least one of said rollers being constituted of electrically insulating material.

2. A brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second set of bristles are arranged in wedge-shaped relation on the band.

3. A brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive means comprises an electrically conductive element in electrical connection with said housing and extending transversely of the band and in contact with the inner surface of the band to establish electrical connection with said second set of bristles.

4. A brush as claimed in claim 1 vwherein said insulation means comprises an electrically insulative member in contact with the inner surface of the band and the second set of bristles Ito produce electrostatic charge of the bristles on the band upon movement of the band and rubbing of the inner surface thereof against the electrically insulative member.

5. A brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rollers are positioned in the housing such that the1 band leaves the housing after passing over said one roller which is electrically insulating and enters the housing after passing over'the other of the rollers, the latter being constituted of electrically conductive material, said housing being constituted of electrically conductive material, the latter roller being in electrically conductive relation with the housing.

6. A brush as claimed in claim 5 wherein said housing has edges facing the band and bristles on said edges extending towards said band.

7. A brush as claimed in claim 1 wherein said band includes marginal beads for guiding the band in the housing, said beads being provided with notches which subdivide the band into sections.

8. An electrically operated hair brush comprising a housing, an endless rotary band, means supported in said housing and engaging said band to drive the same along a path of itravel in a part of which the band is exposed, bristle means on said band for brushing hair, rst means supported in said housing for applying a static electrical charge to the bristle means of the brush on the exposed portion of the band, and second means for discharging the electrical charge on the bristle means before said portion of the band becomes concealed.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 94,172 8/1962 Denmark.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner. 

8. AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATED HAIR BRUSH COMPRISING A HOUSING, AN ENDLESS ROTARY BAND, MEANS SUPPORTED IN SAID HOUSING AND ENGAGING SAID BAND TO DRIVE THE SAME ALONG A PATH OF TRAVEL IN A PART OF WHICH THE BAND IS EXPOSED, BRISTLE MEANS ON SAID BAND FOR BRUSHING HAIR, FIRST MEANS SUPPORTED IN SAID HOUSING FOR SUPPLING A STATIC ELECTRICAL 